Starborn
by Glyphron
Summary: Thane keeps having a strange dream, the first he's ever had in years. He comes to believe it is a sign that will lead him to peace, but his salvation will not be what he expects. Enticed by this Siha who has come to find him, he takes to her leadership. Waiting to see what will become of him at her guidance.
1. Prologue

There was darkness, complete darkness. A nothingness that spanned for eternity. A place empty of sound, life, and emotion. All that existed in this darkness was one lonely drell.

Thane knew this place well. He had been here many times. Previous experiences had taught him not to struggle. This nightmare was inescapable.

The cold and dead place where Thane stood, shoulders drooping and head hung, was his soul. Since the moment he had avenged his wife's death he had ceased to dream. Instead, he had watched as his soul slowly died within him, and now wandered it's emptiness when the night fell. He would never again be whole. No tears fell, he had none left to cry.

With nothing better to do, he put one foot in front of the other and walked restless and aimlessly through the dark cold. For hours he dragged himself along, heart throbbing and feet aching. His despair was endless and he wanted nothing more than to end the pain. He had wanted to let go of life for so long. He had fought off those desires as best he could before, but now he had no fight left in him.

As he continued his staggered pace, he came to realize that, despite his desperation to free himself from his sorrowful life, he didn't know how. The confliction of his need and his inability to fulfill that need swelled up in his chest. It became unbearable as the pressure continued to grow, until, finally, Thane could take no more.

Throwing himself to his knees, he slammed his fists into the invisible material on which he had landed. Trembling as the shock of the intensity pulsed through his body, he cried out to his gods.

"Kalihira! Take me!" He screamed "Arashu! Why have you forsaken me!..."

His breath came in hard as he tried to regain control of himself. He began to sob.

"Arashu, why?"

As the words escaped his lips a blue light appeared in the distance. Thane stared in disbelief for several moments. Cautiously he pushed himself to his feet and blinked. When his eyes reopened he saw that the light still lingered proving it was no illusion.

He began to step forward, moving faster and faster until he was running full speed towards the light. He pushed himself to his limits, afraid the light might fade before he reached it. At last, after what had seemed like miles and a lifetime, he reached the source of the glow.

It was bright, too bright. Thane shielded his eyes. It pulsed, as if reacting to his presence, and faded until he could make out a form. The form was the source, and Thane slowly let his arm fall to his side.

He discerned that the form was female because of its slender and curvy shape. However, the light that surrounded her prevented him from seeing what species she was. She had wings that were as black as the emptiness in which they both stood, but let off a radiant blue as bright as the rest of her form. But, what captured his attention were her eyes, the only detail of her that he could see. They were of the most beautiful blue he had ever seen. They were intense, deep, and wore an expression of distress.

He could feel her presence radiating warmly through his being. A sense of comfort disbursed through him accompanied by a sadness he had never before felt. A tear fell from his eye. He knew the nature of his visitor. She was a Siha, come to rescue him from his pain. Perhaps a sign that it was okay to let go of the physical world.

She reached out her hand towards him, and, without hesitation, he took hold of it. Suddenly, light burst forth from her, blinding him. She vanished...

Thane jumped awake, breathing hard. He pressed his palms to his eyes, still blinded by the light from his dream. It was the first one he'd had in ten years...


	2. Empty Existence

Thane buttoned up his pants and reached for his shirt. He was performing his morning routine the way he had always done it, but today his heart beat with anxiousness. A feeling he hadn't experienced in a long time.

This day marked the seventh day since he'd started having the visions of the Siha. He had dreamed of her exactly seven times, and today he had a mission that he planned to make his last. The visions were a sign that it was okay to finally depart from this world, and the Siha had come to show him how.

Thane was both nervous and excited as he imagined what it would be like to die. He hoped that his death would come quickly and that he would not have to suffer. He tried to imagine what it would be like to no longer feel the pain. He prayed that his wife would be there, waiting for him, when he crossed over. His body ached with longing at the idea.

He reached for his jacket, slipping each arm in with care. He turned, looking at himself in the mirror. He looked like he always did. He found it intriguing that he had taken such care to look his best though it wouldn't matter in the end.

Stepping thoughtfully, Thane then made his way over to the other end of the room. His customized weapons, a cannifex hand cannon and a mantis sniper rifle, lay in a footlocker there. He took his time opening it and stared at its contents for a few moments before removing both guns. Setting them on the bed, he retrieved the hand cannon's holster and attached it to his belt. He then proceeded to place the hand gun in it's holster and adjust the strap on his sniper rifle.

Finally, after the strap had been adjusted to the right length, Thane slung it over his shoulder and moved towards the door. He paused and took one last look at his room, then walked out. He wondered briefly as he left, if anyone had ever noticed his existence here on Illium. He supposed not.

In silence, he made his way out of the building and into the alley way. From there he began walking towards the site where his target would be. Anticipation surged through his veins.

No one gave him a passing glance, no one noticed the rifle against his back. No one cared. Who would want to bother with stopping him? As long as they weren't his target, it didn't matter to them. A memory of his wife flashed through his mind and his heart skipped a beat. He missed her so much. She would've cared, would've noticed.

He came upon his destination. Two business towers, owned by his target. Traveling to the roof of another tall building nearby, Thane studied them.

They were among the tallest buildings on Illium. One was finished but the other was still undergoing construction. A bridge connected the two so the workers could move back and forth. The bridge was very narrow and dangerous. If any wind kicked up while someone was crossing it, they could easily be knocked off the edge.

Thane knew that his target would be located in the first tower later that night. He perceived, as he studied, that he would need to enter and make his way up the second tower and across the bridge to reach her. There would be guards consisting of hired mercenaries, for his target knew he was coming.

His target's name was Nassana Dantius. She was an Assari politician whose cruelty knew no bounds. Her sister had been a pirate who was a major player in the slave trade. Had been, that is, until she was killed in a firefight. Previous to her death, Nassana had been talking to some very shady people. She had undoubtedly contracted someone to kill her sister. After all, her sister's activities stood a chance of making Nassana look bad.

Nassana was notorious for hiring people to kill those who either jeopardised her standing as a politician or got in her way. She helped to pass laws that gave her and her few friends benefits, and made the public suffer. Finally, people had had enough. Thane was going to kill her and end the suffering and death she was causing.

He smirked. Nassana was certain that she was safe, but he always got his target. Though this would be one of the most challenging assassinations he'd taken on, it was no match for his skills.


	3. Confusion

Night had fallen on Illium, and traffic was slower. Shepard fidgeted with her two hand cannons in the passenger's seat. She wasn't really nervous, just feeling slightly impatient. She had a job to do, and a great many lives hung in the balance.

Silently, she reviewed all the information from the dossier about the assassin. His name was Thane Krios, a 39 year old drell born in 2164. He began his training at age 6 and made his first kill at the age of 12. His prefered method of killing was any form of neck snap, and he had an exceptional array of skills including biotics, sniping, and infiltration. It was an impressive record and it reminded Shepard that, if she didn't reach Nassana before he did, she'd lose her chance to recruit him.

Moving on, she thought about the towers and everything she had learned about them. They were called the Dantius towers, but one tower was still under construction. The penthouse was located in the first tower, which was locked down. To reach their destination, Shepard and her team would have to make their way up through the second tower and across a worker's bridge to the first. There would be mercenaries around every bend making heavy resistance, but there weren't any other options.

This was going to be a tough mission. The odds were against them, they were attempting to contact a very dangerous individual, and that individual was way ahead of them. Her team would have to be fast and efficient, even while taking heavy fire. However, Shepard knew her team could handle it.

She looked out her window at the bountiful city lights. Her team was more than ready, all they needed now was to arrive at the towers. Watching building after building pass by, she wished they could be there already. Yet, she understood that Seryna was trying, and was grateful for the assari's help. It was more than anyone else would have offered.

"So, this assassin...you going to stop him?"

The question caught Shepard's attention, and she glanced at their assari driver.

She remembered Nassana. Unpleasant was an understatement when describing her. She had celebrated when she learned that Shepard had killed her sister in a firefight started by pirates. In fact, just before the firefight, she had contacted Shepard and asked to meet on the Citadel to hire her for just that. She was more than thrilled to discover it was already done without the hassle of convincing Shepard herself.

"I'm just here to make sure he survives." Shepard replied.

"I see."Seryna nodded.

A few moments passed in silence and their destination finally came into view.

"There they are, the Dantius towers." she indicated.

Pulling up on the landing pad, Seryna released the locks and opened the hood of the cab. Shepard, Garrus, and Mordin climbed out with haste.

"Watch your back. Nassana's guards will fight you every step of the way and there will be more the closer you get."

"We might catch him before it goes that far." Shepard responded with hope she didn't quite feel.

"Maybe. At least you'll know where he's headed."

Surging with anticipation, Shepard gave the cue, "Alright, let's do this."

"Good luck Commander."

Garrus closed the hood to the cab and the transport vehicle rose up and took off. Turning, the three companions looked onward towards a glass door.

"So... How do we want to do this?" Garrus inquired.

"Go in, guns blazing, clear ourselves a path, and run like hell to the penthouse."

Garrus and Mordin gave a nod and tightened their grips on their weapons.

Removing her pistols from their holsters, she led the way towards the heavily plated glass. On approach, they came across a grave scene. Two salarian workers ran for their lives, LOKI mechs and their robotic dogs at their heels. Opening fire, the three shattered the glass as the workers fell. Immediately afterward the LOKI mechs opened fire on Shepard's squad as the FENRIS mechs came charging. Taking cover, they retaliated with gunfire and biotics. It took only seconds to destroy the mechs.

Moving from their shelter, they crept cautiously through the arch to where the salarians had fallen. Finding only one, they checked his vital signs. He was dead, but a trail of blood led them onward to the second worker who was writhing in pain.

"My legs!" he wheezed "I can't feel my legs..."

"Hold on." Shepard stated firmly while applying medigel to his wound.

A few moments passed as it took effect, but slowly the salarian was able to rise to his feet.

"Thank you. I feel much better now."

"What happened?"

"It was horrible. Everyone was screaming. My coworkers were jumping off the tower to escape the dogs!" he exclaimed, eyes wide.

"Why were they after you?"

"We're simple night workers, trying to finish the tower. Nassana sent them after us. She told us all to leave, but we were too slow."

"Are there other survivors?"

"I don't know... But if you don't mind, I'm going to stay here."

She nodded, "It would be for the best."

"Shepard, if it would be alright, I'd like to stay to. You can send any survivors you find here and I will treat their injuries and protect them from both the mechs and the mercs." Mordin requested.

"Are you sure?"

"Of course."

"Very well then," She agreed with a sigh "Let's go Garrus."

Passing through the door that lay just beyond, they left Mordin and the night worker behind. Shepard was reluctant to do so, but Mordin made a good point. Any of the mechs or mercs they missed on their way to the penthouse, might find a gathering of survivors a good target. Especially if they suspected it would draw out the assassin.

Shepard refocused as the elevator came to a stop and the door began to open. It was time to lock and load...


	4. Found Among the Lost

Thane blinked, astounded. Reports were pouring in about "the assassin" pushing through mercenaries and decimating mechs. Of course, Thane knew they weren't talking about him. He hadn't attacked anyone head on. This left only two options. Either the said person was after the same target, or they were after him.

He had done some poking about before hand, and hadn't found any information regarding possible competition. If his information was accurate, that would mean they were likely after him. The reasons why they could be after him were unknown, but intriguing to Thane. After all they were going through so much trouble to find him. The fact they were tearing up the place in their search suggested that they weren't looking to talk to him.

But nothing was certain. The possibility that they were after the same target still existed. Either way, they were headed to the penthouse. That much was clear. He had to get there first. Nassana was _his_ target and he had never failed an assassination, he wasn't going to start now. Yet, if they were after him and looking to kill him, it would be a good death.

Slinking through the shadows, Thane moved onward. He needed to hurry. Whoever the stranger was, they were fast. They hadn't been here long and yet they were catching up to him.

He was nearing the bridge now, the most difficult and dangerous part of this challenge.


	5. The Bridge Between

Shepard came to a halt, Garrus right behind her. They stared out onward to see the bridge stretching before them, a slight wind passing over it. They could see the shapes and figures of weaponry, mercs and mechs strung out all across its length. There were crates spread across the bridge as well, providing cover for both her and the enemy.

However, another problem presented itself. At the far end of the bridge there were two missile turrets. If she wasn't careful they could blow her, Garrrus and the bridge to pieces, no matter how much cover they had.

She sighed. Time was running out. But she couldn't just cross the bridge, she had to take out those turrets first.

"They would blow the whole bridge to stop us! Desperate aren't they? I wonder how our assassin made it across." Garrus mused.

"I have no idea how he did it, but we'd better find a way to follow."

"Well, this tall stack of crates might help."

Shepard turned to see a stack of crates consisting of four individual single stacks leaning against each other. The stack was five crates high but two were missing from the back.

"I could climb up this stack and use my sniper rifle to take out those turrets. Then you could race across while I help to clear enemies in your way from my perch." Garrus continued.

"What happens after I get across?"

"I'll hold the bridge while you take care of business."

"Sounds like a plan. Just be careful." She warned.

"I will. You'd better be careful to. You've already died on us once, and I think there's a limit to how many times you can be brought back. I'll be listening in through the comm link. If things start to get bad I'll charge in guns blazing. The assassin may be good, but I still doubt he could take the both of us."

"Alright, let's get this over with." Shepard gave a nod.

Garrus heaved himself up onto the crates. Removing his rifle from his back, he placed his eye against the scope. The two crates in front of him would provide excellent cover, but he still needed to be quick. Taking aim, he fired his first shot. It hit it's mark and the first turret went up in flames. Seconds later, while the mercs raised the alarm, he fired his second. It too hit it's mark, disabling the second turret.

"Go!" He shouted.

Shepard shot out across the bridge, diving behind some crates to avoid taking fire. Retaliating, she advanced, crouching behind the next set of crates. A merc attempted to jump on top of the crates and attack. Shepard looked up in time to see his shoulder bursting red as he fell backward. She moved onward to the next set of crates...


	6. Mysterious Eyes

Thane was in position, waiting for the opportune moment to make the kill. That moment came quickly, but he didn't finish the job. Instead, he continued waiting. He wanted to see the stranger who had been hot on his heels all the way here.

A few more minutes passed and the door to the penthouse opened. From where thane was hiding, he could see all that went on. However, he was unable to see the stranger's identity. He saw that _she_ was human. Covered in black armor, she had hair as dark as the emptiness of space. It was short and feathered out in the back, with two long bangs framing the sides of her mysterious face. A little of her forehead was visible, revealing the palest human complexion that he had ever witnessed. She was heavily armed with all sorts of weaponry.

The mercenaries surrounding the assari bared their guns at her.

"YOU! But, you're dead!" Nassana exclaimed in shock.

"I got better..." The human mused back.

Perhaps this was someone his target had tried to kill.

"Now you're here to kill me."

The woman scoffed at this.

"I'm sure you find this very ironic. First you take care of my sister, now you're here for me."

Nassana's guards tightened their grips on their weapons.

"Your sister left me no choice. She and her pirate gang attacked my team."

"Well, you made it this far. Now what?"

She sighed, "You really think I'm here to kill you?"

"You have another reason for destroying my tower and decimating my security?"

"I'm looking for someone. If I wanted to kill you, I would have done it by now. And I certainly wouldn't have just walked in here without taking out your guards first."

So she was looking for him, not going after his target. Why?

"You expect me to believe that?" Nassana scorned "Is this about credits? Is that what you want?"

The stranger shook her head.

"Name your price, we can make this problem go away."

"You really are paranoid."

"Come on, just name your price." She insisted.

"All the credits in the galaxy won't make this problem go away."

"Bitch! Who gave you the right to play God?"

The woman's demeanor changed from being cautiously casual to aggressive. She trembled and clenched her fists, "Who gave it to you? All the people you've killed. All the innocent night workers that have been slaughtered or injured. And for what!"

"Don't patronize me! I may not be perfect, but look at you. We both kill people for money. What's the difference?"

"You kill people because you think they're beneath you or they're in your way. I kill people when they leave me no choice."

"But you do have a choice. You don't have to do this. I can tell you -"

It was time to end this. Thane shifted his weight emitting a slight sound from the air duct he was in. Several mercenary guards jumped at the sound and began frantically searching for its source. The stranger, however, just braced.

"What!" Nassana demanded.

An assari commando replied, "I heard something."

"Damn it! Check the other entrances."

The guards fanned out to exact their orders.

"You..." Nassana pointed at the woman "Stay put. When I'm finished dealing with this nuisance, you and I are going to -"

She turned in time to see Thane snap the neck of the last mercenary. In one swift movement he came forward, restrained the assari's arms, and placed the barrel of his pistol to her chest.

"Who...?" She managed to murmur.

Thane pulled the trigger. Nassana groaned with pain as he laid her down on her desk and folded her arms over the wound he had given her. With a sigh she stopped breathing.

Replacing his pistol in its holster, Thane immediately bowed his head and clasped his hands in a silent prayer to the gods. He waited for the pain of bullets to come. Strangely, the human who had hunted him so relentlessly never drew her weapon. Instead, she stood patiently, watching him. Still he waited, lingering in prayer. As he prayed, the silence grew heavier. Finally, Thane decided to break it. If she wasn't here to kill him, he wanted to know what she **was** here for.

"I apologise, prayers for the wicked must not be forsaken." He lifted his head and took his first good look at her features.

Her face was round, her skin smooth and visibly soft. Full lips with gentle curves held slight indents in the corners from frequent smiling. They were a soft pink and wore a shining gloss. A small, slightly wide set nose balanced her mouth. Her brows were slender and sleek, her forehead well proportioned. Her eyes, though they held a slight depth, were not sunken in and were also well rounded. A moderate application of black make up framed their shape and enhanced their crystalline like centers. They were wide, bright, and filled with spirit. They held a deep intensity that was surprisingly familiar. These were the very same blue eyes of the siha from his vision.

Thane hid his shock as the woman replied. She too had been taking in his features and found him to be just as interesting.

"I'm not sure she deserves it."

"The prayer is not for her, but for me. Besides, the measure of an individual can be difficult to discern by actions alone."

"I'm not sure I understand."

His shock faded, replaced by frustration. This was supposed to be the day his suffering ended. The vision had to be a sign that his pain was over. It had to be proof that it was time for him to join his beloved Irikah. The gods were supposed to grant him peace. Instead they sent him a human with eyes like a siha who held a purpose other than bringing him death.

"Take you, for instance. All this destruction... Chaos. And to what end? I was curious to see how far you'd go to find me. Well... Here I am."

His voice never rose, but she easily perceived his mood.

"I had little choice in how I handled the mercenaries, they thought I was you."

"Gunfire and explosions. I prefer to work quietly. If I have to fight through guards, I've made a mistake. I rarely make mistakes."

Placing a hand on her hip, she looked him in the eye.

"Maybe you should have told them that."

Thane blinked, taken aback by her witty statement. Gaining control of his emotions, he offered a truce.

"You disrupted my plan, but your distraction eventually proved valuable."

She gave a nod and proceeded to introduce herself.

"I'm Commander Shepard. Its good to meet you Thane Krios."

At the mention of her name, information came flooding through his mind in the form of memories. She was the first human spectre and savior of the Citadel and Council. Her victory against Saren and the geth had caused the galactic media to become obsessed with her. But, she had been well known before that.

A war hero among her race, Shepard had rallied colonists against invading batarian pirates. Then, single handedly, held off and sealed a breach in their defenses during the Skyllian Blitz. In addition, she was one of few humans who had obtained the rank of N7.

Indeed, as Nassana had stated, she was supposed to be dead. Assigned to chase down the remaining geth threat, her ship had been destroyed. An unfortunate event that she allegedly had not escaped from. Yet, there had been recent reports claiming she'd been seen alive. Now she stood before him, providing a face to put with her name.

"Likewise." He replied, curious.

As if sensing his desire to know why she, of all sentients, had sought him out, she stated her reason. Her hand left her hip and she gestured towards him.

"I have come to recruit you for an important mission."

Hand falling back to her side, he looked at her with intrigue.

"I see... Who's the target?"

"A race called the Collectors." She stated gravely.

Thane made no reply, instead, he continued to look questioningly at at her.

"They have been abducting entire human colonies. Colonies like Freedom's Progress. Thus, me and my crew are out to stop them. That means I need the best specialists at my side. Ergo, I'm here for you."

"Attacking the Collectors would require passing through the Omega 4 Relay. No ship has ever returned from doing so." He cautioned.

"They told me it was impossible to get to Ilos too."

He gave a nod, "A fair point... You've built your career on performing the impossible."

She smiled and reached out her hand.

"Will you join me?"

Thane looked at her a moment, then turned and made his way over to the nearby window. Behind him, Shepard's smile faded and her hand dropped to her side. Looking out over Illium, he crossed his arms behind his back and sighed.

"This was to be my last job. I'm dying."

Her face took on an expression of concern, "Is there anything I can do to help?"

A moment of silence passed.

"Giving me this opportunity is enough."

Turning again, he faced her.

"The universe is a dark place. I'm trying to make it brighter before I die. Low survival odds don't concern me. The abductions of your colonists does."

Stepping forward until he stood less then an arms length from her, he frowned and looked at the floor. Her eyes remained focused on him.

"Many innocents died today. I wasn't fast enough and they suffered. I must atone for that."

He then made eye contact with her, reached out, grabbed her hand before she could react, and shook it.

"I will work for you, Shepard. No charge."

Surprised, she gave a firm shake back.

"It will be an honor to work with you."


End file.
